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Share on Pinterest A new study finds that a poor sense of smell may be an early sign of Alzheimer’s among people with a genetic risk of developing the disease. Nadine Brandt/Stocksy Alzheimer’s disease is the commonest form of dementia, affecting more than 6 million people in the United States. Early diagnosis is key to managing the disease, but initial symptoms, such as memory issues, are often dismissed as normal signs of aging. A new study has found that carriers of the APOE ε4 gene, who are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, may lose their ability to identify odors earlier than those who do not carry the gene variant. As this impaired sense of smell may be an early sign of future cognitive problems, testing people’s sense of smell could help identify those at greater risk of Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, around 1 in 9 people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the United States, a total of 6.7 million people. With an aging popu...

Share on Pinterest Health data from smartwatches could aid in earlier diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Dimensions/Getty Images A recent study explored the use of wrist-worn accelerometers to detect Parkinson’s disease before clinical diagnosis. The researchers found that a decrease in movement speed could be observed several years before a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The accelerometer data outperformed other models based on medical symptoms, genetics, lifestyle, or blood biochemistry data and could potentially be incorporated into clinical practice in the future. In Parkinson’s disease, the deterioration of specific brain cells causes problems with movement and other health problems that get worse over time. Unfortunately, there is still no treatment that reverses or stops the disease. Health ">Several studies are underway to test treatments that might protect the brain from further damage in the early stages of Parkinson’s. For people to benefit from these treatments, it ...

Share on Pinterest Often-ignored hallucinations may be an early warning of Parkinson’s and cognitive decline. Image credit: Bárbara Tamura/Stocksy. New research suggests that people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who have hallucinations early on face a greater risk of rapid cognitive decline. However, minor hallucinations often go underreported and ignored by Parkinson’s disease patients and clinicians. European experts ran a long-term study that tied Parkinson’s disease and early hallucinations to “a stronger decline in frontal-subcortical functions.” Experts encourage anyone with Parkinson’s disease who has hallucinations to inform their healthcare provider promptly. Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related neurodegenerative diseases are often far advanced before diagnosis. This severely limits prevention and treatment options. Parkinson’s disease has long been regarded primarily as a movement disorder. However, growing research points to impaired executive function as a major factor...

Share on Pinterest Donanemab has been seen as a ‘turning point’ in the search for dementia treatments. PER Images/Stocksy Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, affects some 6 million people in the United States. While treatments can help manage Alzheimer’s symptoms, there is no cure yet. Now, a third disease-modifying treatment that clears amyloid plaques from the brain has shown positive results in a phase 3 trial. Donanemab, a monoclonal antibody, slowed cognitive decline by 35% in people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s but was less effective in those with more advanced Alzheimer’s. Dementia affects more than 55 million people worldwide, and up to 70% of those people have Alzheimer’s disease, characterized by the buildup of two proteins, amyloid and tau . Currently available treatments can help manage symptoms but not change the course of the disease. However, new disease-modifying treatments are showing the potential to slow the progress of the disease. In an i...